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Ruislip Lido

The picture above is of a
158 bus in South Harrow heading for the Lido. If you click on it for the
enlarged view you will see that is it packed (and there are no other cars
around!).
(Thanks to..for the picture.)

Wonderful film showing the Lido in
the 1960's

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Please note that
latest additions are at the foot of the page.

Visitors to
Ruislip Online have passed back to me memories of the Lido - they are presented
below (edited where appropriate) in no particular order. Ruislip Online offers
them for what they are...memories. Ruislip Online makes no claim that they are
factually correct. These comments might jog your memory, if you have any
thoughts about the lido
please send them to Ruislip Online for inclusion here.

I was pleased to visit the Lido recently (2006) and
overjoyed to see how well it is maintained.

My first memory of visiting the Lido was in the big freeze of 1947 when I, as
a 9 year old, walked across the reservoir

with my father - to the beach area, where shortly my
Father was to be responsible for importing hundreds of tons of sand.

My Father used to work in the old Grand Union Canal
offices on the reservoir, and I believe it was the company chairman, John
Miller,

who asked Dad to develop the Lido as a recreational area
for war-torn Londoners.

I have thankful memories of John Miller, as on each of my
childhood birthdays, he used to send me a card with £5 inside - a tremendous
amount in those days, especially for a primary school child!

I went with Dad to somewhere near Enfield, I think, to choose the engine for
the railway. I liked the big blue engine and fortunately, the experts agreed
with me and the railway got under way.

I was pleased to see the station still called "Woody Bay". This was the
name of a small bay near Combe Martin in North Devon

where we used to holiday in the early years after the
war, and I think my Mother suggested the name. Of course the line was much
shorter in those days, but it did run past the zoo, which unfortunately is
now long gone.

Once, a wallaby escaped from the compound and was chased by Dad and others
across west Middlesex until the animal was recaptured in Southall Bus
Garage. There were also the donkeys and donkey rides, and when I was a
little older, I was even allowed to ride the pony!

Above, a "Lido" donkey on a
sojourn

Incidentally I can still remember the discussions had on
the pronunciation of "Lido". Many wanted to follow the style of other
open air swimming pools and call it "Lie-do", But Dad insisted in "Lee-do".I
don't know why, but I believe he had read about Venice Lido somewhere and
thought that was right.

One of my last endearing memories was of a large family and friends party in
the office block to celebrate my Father's award of the MBE.

Nice to keep in touch, I consider the Lido as a
sort of record of some of my father's work and it certainly gave me many
happy hours - not having to pay any entrance fees of course!

Before you can understand the Lido in the 50's you have
to understand how poor the country was in the aftermath of the war. Rationing
was still in force, TV was a rarity and very few people owned cars so having an
amenity like the Lido close by was a wonderful treat, especially for us
children. However, my first encounter with English class distinctions occurred
when pronouncing the word "Lido". My parents, who had pretensions of upper
mobility, insisted that it should be pronounced "Leedo" while my school friends
at Lady Bankes cheerfully said "Lyedo". The kids who lived closest had no such
problem as they all called it "The Reservoy".

My first visits were, naturally, supervised by Mum who would gather up
sandwiches and tea and us three kids and we would go to Ruislip Manor Station to
wait for the 158 bus to the Lido. If it was a warm day, the bus would be
crowded. It is my impression that London Transport would add buses on busy days
as I have distinct memories of several buses lined up outside the Lido. In those
days there was no car park, just a turnaround place for the buses.

There would be quite a long line waiting to get in and we would look through the
chain link fence at all the delights awaiting us. After Mum had paid for "one
and three halves" we were in and turned right to walk up past the boathouses to
the beach. There was a full height iron turnstile guarding the exit and I knew
that once you had exited you had to go home!

It seems to me that almost everything cost 3d at the Lido. Admission, the
motorboat ride across to the beach (that was a luxury!), the railway
(which was then steam operated), ice cream.

I learned to swim on that beach. I remember there was a bank of cold water taps
so you could wash the Lido water off your body, at the far end of the beach,
close to the railway. Then came the polio scare and nobody swam anywhere. I
believe the Lido had a difficult summer.

My first fishing expeditions were also there. Armed with a tin of maggots from
Acton's in Ruislip Manor I would fish for roach and perch. I envied the serious
fishermen who would fish for pike from the other side of the lake, but I was too
squeamish to fish with live (i.e., smaller fish) bait. I never caught much
anyway, those fish had probably seen to many fishermen to be fooled by my
attempts.

For some reason we never spent much time at the restaurant end. It was mostly a
grassy area and the swimming area had been concreted. Unfortunately the concrete
would attract a particularly slippery species of algae and it was hard to keep
your footing. I was really too young to understand this but, in retrospect I
believe this was the area where mating rituals were carried out as I remember
quantities of American servicemen (known, of course, as Yanks) laying around
playing portable radios (disgusting!), piercing tins of beer with special
openers (outrageous!) and on one memorable occasion getting up, sprinting to the
water's edge for a spectacular dive, only to split his head wide open on the
concrete that lay only two inches below the surface (serve him damn well right,
the show off!)

I hope I have given you some of the flavour of how it was. I did visit there
last September. It now looks kind of sad.

Clive

My Mother was the cook at the Lido. She started working
there during the war for the Grand Union Canal Co. Then after she cooked for
the Rotary Club every Tuesday. My mother was Elsie Clayton, there was a lady
called Mrs Collett who also worked there, she lived in Breakspear Road next
door to Edie & Reg Snelling who also worked there. There was another lady,
the sister of Edie Snelling, her name was Hilda, (her son was married to a
lady called Lena who was somehow related to Bob Monkhouse!).

I think the man who looked after the boats was called
Fred, he lived in the house by the boathouse. I used to help to sell the
ices and drinks on the sand side. This would have been in the early sixties.

The manager was a man called Newstead & he lived in the property opposite the
main building.

The champion water skier was David Nations and he was
a regular visitor to the Lido. When we moved to Guernsey my mother saw and
spoke to him there - he was very surprised to see her!

There was the main building, then further along there
was an area called the Loggia, here they sold indoor teas etc. In the main
building were the offices and the hall above where they held dinners and
various occasions, then downstairs was a cafeteria where they sold hot
beverages & cakes.

I am intrigued by the third item on the memories of
Ruislip Lido page (which is just above here) and the entry by Jean nee
Clayton in which Jean refers to Mrs. Collett from Breakspear Road and I
wonder if this Mrs. Collett was my mother or grandmother who lived at No. 8,
Breakspear Road? I was born in 1939 at Hillingdon Hospital but my home
address was 8, Breakspear Road and my mother was 28 years old in 1939. It is
also quite possible that it was my grandmother who worked at the Lido or it
was a Miss Collett, one of my maiden aunts. I hope Jean is well reads this
item.

During the war we lived in Ruislip Manor and in 1947 moved to Northwood
Hills and the top of Haste Hill. It was a ten minute walk through Park Wood
from Haste Hill to the Lido and I spent many hours fishing there until I
married and moved away in 1961.

I watched some of the filming of ‘A Night to Remember’ from the reed bed
adjacent to the swimming area, we had been fishing nearby during the day but
night had fallen and we were outside of the arc of lighting. The waves were
created using a contraption made of oil drums and scaffold planks and pushed
back and forth by at least four men and it looked like very hard work but
the effect was quite realistic.

In the early
nineteen fifties I did a greengrocers round with a horse and cart and our
base was a stable yard at the junction of Breakspear Road and Howletts Lane
owned my uncle George Coster. My boss, Jack Rogers, lived in Reservoir Road
opposite the main gate to the Lido.

My uncle, George Coster, owned the plot of land, now a housing estate,
bounded by Breakspear Road to the West, the Feeder from Ruislip Reservoir to
the East, Howletts Lane to the South and almost up to Bury Street to the
North. The whole was a free range poultry farm. I never ever remembered it
flooding, which I believe is the reason put forward for lowering the water
level at the Lido during the winter months, supposedly to protect the
housing estate from flooding.

When we were kids living on Haste Hill we fished for newts in several ponds
around Park Wood and the Lido. I realised later that these unnatural
rectangular ponds were actually gun emplacements. I now understand that if
the German bombers were using the arrow shape of the Reservoir as a pointer
to Northwood headquarters it made sense to site anti aircraft guns in that
area. In most instances the gun pits were sheltered from aircraft
approaching Northwood from the South by the dense trees of Park and Copse
woods. I moved to Haste Hill, aged seven in 1947, the war had only been over
for two years but in that very short space of time the gun pits had become
naturalised ponds and an endless source of amusement for budding fishermen.
We later graduated to the Lido and real fish.

My name is Terry Collett. I have two sisters and a brother, Elizabeth,
Gillian and Derrick and we all played at the Lido, it was so close to home.
I fell through the ice once, fortunately at the shallow North end but it was
touch and go. I have so many memories of the Lido.

Terry Collett

My dad was a life saving instructor at Highgrove
swimming pool and so used to man the rescue

boat at the lido when they had any water skiing things
on. My brother and I used to fish regularly up there. I spent most of my
summer holidays up there viewing the local talent.

Jayne

I worked at Ruislip Lido in 1974, I was 18 at
the time. I was born in Ruislip in 1957 (Hillingdon Hospital) and
lived in Broadwood Avenue (the no-through-road-end) . My father finally sold
the house in 1988. The woods at the bottom of the road led into
Ruislip Woods where you could (and still can, of course!) then walk right
through to the Lido - it was an incredibly fantastic place to grow up in.
All that freedom of the woods! My brother and other friends in the road
would all take to our bikes and cycle through the woods, damming up little
streams, climbing trees, haring around like kids do. Going to the Lido was a
regular thing, either on foot or our bikes. There were times you had to pay
on admission - from the woods side there was and still is the turnstile
entrance. I remember sussing out that when Hillingdon was Labour run,
all the local council swimming pools and the Lido were free admission - when
the Tories were in power it was a different case. Consequently we made
plenty of holes in the perimeter fencing around the Lido (on the railway
side!) to gain entrance - we were local, we weren't going to pay!!
There were always loads of gaps, anyway! The railway was really small
in those days (mid 60's to mid 70's), just the original circuit. The
play park area by the beachy bit was always there.

From the couple of huts that are still there, one would be a first aid post
and the other sold ice creams and stuff. The swimming area there was just
like a beach and there was never a restriction on swimming at that time,
that we noticed. Around the other side, there was a concreted swimming
area in front of the old building - that building was the epitome of
beach-iness for somewhere so far from the real coast! The changing
areas were typical sectioned 'cubicles' with wooden doors, just like beach
hut changing areas. The swimming area on this side was sectioned off quite
clearly and if you swum out far enough there was the lifeguards raft - when
I was little it was the ultimate cool to be seen on the raft and when I was
18 I had a job at the Lido and ended up being one of those lifeguards for
that summer.

Before my teens, I have many memories of hiking through the woods from
Broadwood Avenue with family and dog (always a dog in tow) to the Lido. Most
childhood winters produced sufficient snow to make it through the woods to
Haste Hill for sledging and I remember thick ice covering the Lido, enough
to skate on (although I was never allowed to do that). Even in the very late
70's the ice was thick enough for skaters and I had a dog at that time who
broke that ice so she could swim! Haste Hill was THE place when
it snowed! It was incredibly beautiful walking through those woods to the
Lido when there was that cold, raw, frozen-ness - the trees bent with the
weight of snow - a real winter wonderland.

Anyhow, when I was 18 I got fed up with being a
secretary and blagged a job at Ruislip Lido for the 'season' - which meant
starting in February or March when the weather was really raw still.
Lots of prepping up the whole place for the oncoming season! The
boathouse was there then, with the clock tower on top (which I notice has
gone! Where is that clock?). I remember being pushed up the clock tower
hatch to change the hands on the clock only to have the trap door shut
behind me and I had to stay up there all lunch break. The boathouse
was the only warm place in the Lido except for the Manager's office
which was in the original building, just about where the main entrance
still is. I was really teased for being the only female. I was
once told to take a rowing boat round and drag up the weed which grew and
grew in the water. I though this sounded quite reasonable so spent many a
happy hour rowing and dredging weed, not realising the guys were taking the
rip.

The paddle boats were, with your back to the Watersedge,
to the right in a sectioned off bit. When I worked there you got given
a bus conductor type ticket machine to hang around your neck to issue the
tickets for these things!! If you worked there, depending on your 'skills',
you were rota-d for first aid post duties (beach - side and also main
building side), rowing boat duties, paddle boat duties, lifeguard duties and
a general do-it-all roamer, who just sauntered from main building side to
beach side looking official!!

Rowing boat duties and life guarding on the raft were the
coolest things! Basically you got a great tan and god help anyone who
got into difficulties in the water! There was a Confessions .. (from a
Holiday Camp?) film filmed there that year, and although I ate from their
catering wagons I can't remember which film it was!! Starstruck I
guess!

As you stand with your back to the main building and
look left, of course there were the WATER SKIERS !! David Nations was
the man in charge of them together with two other guys - Paul Addlington (or
something like that) and a guy whose name I can't remember (looked like Che
Guevara and loved Bob Marley!) Did you know the Lido used to host the Old
Spice Water Ski Championships? Before it all moved to Thorpe Park?
Water Skiers of the time were John Battleday, Karen Morse....other names are
gone! There was a cafe just before the turning into the Lido (coming from
Ruislip, on the right,) in which we used to eat big fry ups before
work with the water ski-ing team. Also the pub The Six Bells (before
it became BIG) was the end of the day hangout for staff from the Lido. It
was tiny in those days - a real country pub with stone floors etc.

Naked Norman gets somebody excited - see left!!!

During my childhood of cycling and playing in the woods,
from the Broadwood Avenue side, there is someone I remember we used to call
Naked Norman. I don't know if anyone else remembers him but he used to
walk around in the woods wearing very little under his overcoat or mac and
he became the stuff of childhood scary fantasies. I suppose you would
call him a 'flasher' now, although I am not sure that any of us were
actually ' flashed'. There were 8 or 9 of us Broadwood Avenue and Park
Avenue kids hanging together in those days and we all knew of Naked Norman,
but I do wonder if anyone else was aware of him??

I was visiting the Lido quite a lot from last January
until the end of May. The train circuit has changed massively to encompass
most of the Lido now. I didn't go there for most of the 80's and 90's as I
moved to Sussex, had children etc., but I heard the original building was
badly vandalised before being set on fire. It's a real shame because
it was such an art-deco piece of work, as all the old photos will show.
I do remember that before the car park is where it is now (next to Lakeside)
you used to drive down where the ski school was into a car park there.

Karen

I remember going to ruislip lido as a child, I at
the time lived in Notting Hill Gate so to me it seemed like a trip to the
country....

Natasha

Children at the Lido in about 1943 -
note "head" top right!

The Lido first started charging for admission in the
late 40's. At certain hours there were two entrances on the wood's side, one
man at each selling tickets. (We climbed the fence in between, like everyone
else). The fire must have occurred after 1949. (fire in 1949? ed)

The swimming area had diving boards, levels,
changing rooms, and a small cafeteria. I think there may have been a charge
to use the changing rooms. There were two size rowing boats and Skiffs
which had sliding seats, there was a long wait to get a boat during the
weekends, very popular. I do not remember any paddle boats before 1949.. I
do not remember any fishing laws applicable, most was done in the north
eastern end amongst the bull rushes.

The railway operated on the wood's side only.

In the beach area there were soft drinks, ice blocks
etc and there was a small play area for the little ones. The whole Lido area
was well maintained in the 40's and was much used. Most came by bus from
Ruislip station, the locals walked through the woods along the main path
from Broadwood Avenue. During the summer months the woods was very busy,
known as an ideal area for romancing (and other things).

During many winters the Lido froze over completely.
We rode our bicycles all over it and enjoyed ice skating and tobogganing. I
was told that one year they got a Land Rover on it all over and lit several
fires in large metal drums.

There were a lot of Bird Watching groups assembled
around the north eastern end. There were two families of white swans nesting
each year.

David

During the thirties entry to the reservoir dam area
was free. We used to change in a hut below the face of the dam - one for
each sex. There were boats for hire and I recall a drowning. The Lido
was built around around 1937. For a while there was a dance held there
every Saturday night and there were memberships to the club for sale.
You could pay to get in to bathe at any time. I used the boats during
the late forties for a while. The boats were rented by the hour
and well maintained.

Brian

It was my playground in the seventies when I was
growing up so remember going there to fish, sunbathe and swim (when it
was still at the old water level). I remember one incident after I
left school and had just started work at British Airways in South
Ruislip. A guy I worked with had been out drinking with some
friends and for a laugh had got into Ruislip Lido at night and taken
some rowing boats. One of the boats capsized in the middle and one
of the group drowned. Think this would have been around 76/77.
Guess it wasn't the first incident like that to happen. Also from
my own experience, my friends and I used to go up there at night and in
the winter once when the lake was almost completely frozen we walked out
on the ice. When it started cracking we crawled back to shore!
Completely mad as if it had broken we would all have been dead.

Des

The Saturday night dancing at the Lido did not
continue once the war started. As I recall they were held as part
of the programme of a club. We had neighbours who joined.

Brian

I used to belong to Hillingdon Athletic Club and
we would run our little hearts out around the lido and through Park
Woods, over Haste Hill and back again. I learned to water ski
there.

When I was a teenager I would meet friends
over there and try to get a suntan, I was never successful on the
suntan. I wouldn't say that the Lido was ever pristine but I
used to swim there. (obviously, as I fell off the skis a
number of times!) My favourite part of the whole Lido
excursion was the walk through the woods to get there and the
anticipation of reaching my destination. I remember paying to
get in at the back entrance, really the only entrance that I ever
used. It wasn't expensive and I don't remember caring about
paying. Apparently the funds collected were not used on
keeping the Lido clean.

I only remember a couple of times that the
weather was actually hot and we would all escape the heat and
sunlight by heading back into the woods. I do remember riding
on the train once when I was about 10, and we also rented a rowing
boat once. There was a small enclosure for the little boats
that one had to pedal (paddle? ed) that I remember as well.

Sue

I think the definitive film that was shot at
Ruislip Lido was "TheYoung Ones" (Cliff Richard).

3 films for which I am not completely certain
were:-

1) One of the earlier Titanic films,
possibly "A Night to Remember" with Kenneth More.

2) Sink the Bismarck

3) The Cruel Sea.

Incidentally, during my very last school summer
holiday (1968), I worked for an Engineering company in Uxbridge
(J.R. Parsons Ltd.). One of the jobs I had, was to sweep up the oil
sodden sawdust and dump it out the back of the factory. I also had
to level off this dump. In doing this , I unearthed 3 large scale
models of 2 warships and passenger liner (about 3 - 4 ft in length).
I was told by the bosses son, who was more or less running the
place, that his old man had bought them from Pinewood Studios and
that they were models of the Bismarck, HMS Hood and the M.S.
Titanic. The old man had apparently lost interest in them and just
dumped them on this tip.

Although I lived in Hayes in the '50's and
'60's, my parents would regularly take us and sometimes our friends
to the Lido, what seemed like every weekend during the summer plus
quite a few days of the summer holidays. We never had a car, so we
went by bus (sometimes 2 buses). The 198 (158? ed) and 98B and 98A
spring to mind. Over the years, what was a familiar journey varied a
few times, when the buses were rerouted. e.g.. when they 1st made a
detour off Long Lane and coming down Windsor Avenue. I believe the
route originally went down Kings End (where we usually changed buses
outside Quilters) and later changed for a long time down Church
Avenue and Manor Road. One of the landmarks on the route was Butter
Bros.? cranes.

When we arrived there were usually queues (there were 2 turnstiles
and ticket offices). The ticket were of the old cinema type. There
were also full height turnstiles' by the boat house and also by the
railway (exit only). We always used to go to the beach side after
first going on the paddle boats and nearly always on the sand level
to where the slides were. We used to build mammoth sand-castles,
always with a moat and always with a tunnel going right through the
middle, which we filled with water. The sand was black if you dug
more than one and a half feet (and contained what looked like coal).
The water had a rope barrier about 30 feet from the shore about
waist height on my dad. Invariably we used to go past the rope, once
we could swim. It's more or less here where I learned to swim.
Although for ages I kidded my dad I could swim, by doing the crawl
where my hands could touch the bottom and I was literally pulling
myself along the bottom.

My mum always used to bring a choice of fillings plus a jar which
she put butter in and on the way to the Lido, she would buy fresh
bridge rolls and she would actually make our lunch on the sand, with
tea from the kiosk (more or less where it is now - possibly the same
building). Occasionally, our uncle took us by car, in which case you
could drive in and park on the grass and have full blown picnics.
The day would nearly always end with a trip on the railway (just a
round trip in the woods). As we were worn out at the end of the day
(after all we used be there from 9.00am till 6.00 pm) and never
fancied that long walk back, we always begged our dad to get the
boat back (a motor launch) from a jetty just past the start of the
beach to near the main building (ridiculous now as it probably only
saved about one third of the trip back). Occasionally he would agree
to this extravagance.

Philip

Cliff Richard's Summer Holiday was filmed on
the sandy side of the Lido and my sister Pat Honour and her
friend Linda Mash were amongst those who appeared as 'extras' in
the film. They came from the Gardens (Ruislip Gardens
Estate for those not in the know!)

Eve

I remember going on the bus to the
Lido
as a kid. My parents couldn’t drive so we didn’t have a car. I
remember playing in the sand and the miniature railway. There
used to be boats and the pavilion where you could get ice cream
and teas etc. It used to be a great treat to spend the day there
and have a picnic. It seemed that the sun always shone in the
holidays.

One legend about Mad Bess woods my late
father used to tell me (not sure if he made it up) was about
Naked Norman. Apparently he is supposed to run naked through the
woods and some sighting of him was reported.

Brian

My memories of the Lido go back to the
mid 40,s when I lived in Acton. We used to go to the Lido on
a 211 bus from Ealing Broadway. I don't know why, but I
believe there was an admission charge in those days. I saw
two films being made there - one was on the Titanic,
and the other was Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard.

In April 1964 I held my wedding
reception in the main building, I remember it was snowing a
little, but water skiers were still out. I also remember one
day there that one person drowned over at the beach side,
and another young person drowned after jumping off the pier
(for the rowing boats) at the entrance side. His uncle who
had taken him was as you can imagine very distressed.

I also recall seeing the first person
to water-ski without skis showing off at the Lido, I believe
in the early 60's.

I might also add that the car parks
were popular with courting couples, although the police
seemed to enjoy checking out what was happening in the cars.
In those days it meant court (caught - ed?) for some
people!

Dave

My mother worked at the Lido, from
after the war until we left the Manor. She was the cook for
the Rotary club that met every Tuesday and she catered for
all the parties, weddings etc. that went on. I have also got
Cliff Richards autograph, he made part of Summer Holiday
there, also Donald Cambell and I remember them making the
film The Sinking of the Titanic. (not sure about some of
this - ed)

Jean

Rowing in the Lido,
note the number of people in the background on the
beach.

Boat hire....

Wonderful shot of a still
day..........

My memories of the 50,s and 60's
are that as kids my sister and I were always warned to
keep away as it was unclean! This was probably a legacy
of the polio (infantile paralysis as it was called then)
scares. The sand was considered dirty as it never got
washed!

What I do remember is that my
school pal Robert's Dad worked for several years late
fifties and early sixties as the driver of the miniature
train that ran through the woods. His name was Frank
Pegler and he was affectionately known as Popeye the
sailor man whom he resembled!

I also remember hanging around
myself during the making of the Film "The Young Ones
starring Cliff Richard about 58?

Ron

I used to go there most weekends during the fishing
season from about 10 years old to 15 when the family
moved to Northamptonshire. I used to fish with a friend
who lived along the road by the Lido, The best spots
were the corner by the big double gates or the water ski
jetty where the large roach, bream and perch used
to get. Pike were fished for on the other side where
there was more weed.

The song "The Young Ones" was
filmed from the big double gates to the children's area
round the far side. When it was all over Cliff got
mobbed by all the kids around at the time.

I haven't been there since the
late 70's when I was visiting my Uncle and it still
looked the same then. I hope it's still open and that it
still provides some wonderful times and memories for new
generations as it was the focal point to many teenagers
growing up in the sixties and early seventies.

Dave

I was born in 1976 and have early
memories of wonderful days at the lido. We used to
spend whole days there and never get bored, but also we
used to often go on summer evenings when I think we used
to be able to get in free. Visiting now, as I did just
yesterday, brings back great memories but in contrast to
many contributors I do not feel sad about the
differences. It is one of those things. I am
pleased to see that so many people still use it (it was
packed yesterday), that the railway thrives, that there
is an excellent park with fun swings, slides and
climbing frames etc., and that the Waters Edge is there.
I feel that there is still something for everyone and
every time I revisit the area I include a trip to the
lido.

Mark

Footnote:-

http://www.britishpathe.com/
- As it's as it's name suggest an archive of British
Pathe News (with a search function). If you search for
Ruislip you will get 29 hits. When you click on the link
it will load individual frames plus a resumé of the
camera shots. At the bottom of the page is a dropdown
box "FREE PREVIEW". Click Download now. This takes you
to the next screen. This just lists what you have
ordered. Click back button on browser and select your
next choice. Repeat until all your selections have been
made. When you have made your final selection click
proceed and enter all your details. You are presented
with a list of all your files. Click on each to
run. I've only run one so far and it is a brilliant
three minute clip of Ruislip Lido from the '50's. There
are many clips from the "Lido". Also there is a clip a
factory in Ruislip making gold leaf (could this be
Glacier Metals?).

Philip

I remember skating and playing
ice hockey on the Lido in the late '50s early '60s,
during that very cold winter anyway. I was about 10
or 11 and going to Lady Bankes school.

My other biding memory was the
donkeys! I remember leading one round the paddock
hour after hour always with 'some other kid' on it's
back just so I could ride it back to the stable that
evening - and the damn thing trod on me! But that
short ride round to the stable behind the boathouse
made it all worth while.

Philip A

Ruislip lido was brilliant when
I was growing up. A proper beach just like at the
seaside with sand where you could paddle. Not like
Burnham Beeches which I was always really
disappointed to find out was just a load of trees!
The swimming pool bit at the lido was fantastic as
it had the platform you could swim out to and climb
on to. I remember the first time I walked all the
way around the lido it was the furthest I'd ever
walked.

Emma

Back in the 60's we used to
go to the Lido after it had closed , climb the
fence and go "skinny dipping". It was just
perfect on a hot summers night.

Bill

I remember learning to swim
at the Ruislip Resevoir/Lido, that was in the
pre-war days and we had to keep our mouths
firmly closed or we would get a mouthful of
tiddlers.

Pam

Its sad to see the Lido
as it is today. I was born in 1952 and lived
in Ducks Hill Road, my mother still lives
there. In the summer the cars were parked
right the way up Ducks Hill and the buses
were packed, you could not get on them. The
Lido was full .As children we played at the
lido all the time and helped with the donkey
rides. The fair would come on the common
every summer. I also remember Naked Norman
and saw him once, frightened me to death. I
remember the Smiths and the Newsteads and
Mrs. Murphy, Mr. Murphy worked at the Lido.
You could get in free if you turned the
turnstile till it clicked then turned it
back again. I and my three sisters had our
wedding reception at the Lido. They were
really the good old days.

Susan

From October, 1954 until
June, 1957, my American family lived in No. 15
Pembroke Road, round the corner from Ruislip
High Street and across the street from Ruislip
bus terminal and tube station. My father
was an officer commanding a USAF military
intelligence contingent at RAF High Wycombe,
while I was eleven, twelve and thirteen.

I have such fond
memories of life in Ruislip. My younger
brother and I made advantage of the bus and tube
stations’ convenience to our house and traveled
widely, but especially many times to Ruislip
Lido. Weather permitting, on most weekends
we rode the 158 bus to the Lido – the end of the
158 line, as I recall – and then set forth into
the forest to make camp. We were American
Boy Scouts.

On school mornings, I
rode a USAF contract coach forty-five minutes
from Ruislip to attend the American school at
RAF Bushy Park. I fondly remember the many
times I waited for my school bus at the green
grocer, near the corner of High Street and
Pembroke Road. The grocer was a happy,
friendly man, who sold me a bag of black
cherries with a big smile for a few pence, and
let me wait under his awning in the rain or
cold. Nearly fifty years later, I haven’t
forgotten his kindness…or those wonderful
cherries. When my school bus returned in
the afternoon, school mates and I frequently
bought fish and chips at a small High Street
shop near the cinema. To this day I love
English fish and chips.

In those days, gasoline
became rationed severely due to the Suez crisis,
and I remember our family curtailing travel in
the family car. My brother and I didn’t
care, though, since we relied on bus, tube or
bicycle. Our bicycle trips ranged from
Ruislip Lido to South Ruislip to Eastcote to
Denham. The 158 bus was our main bus,
since it went by the US Air Base in South
Ruislip – a frequent trip for us – as well as
Ruislip Lido in the opposite direction.

The tube gave us maximum
range, of course. At one time or another,
by way of the tube, we two young, naïve American
boys were captivated much more than once by the
following: Windsor, Runnymede, Hampton
Court, the British Museum, the War Museum,
Westminster Abbey (where we laid a commemorative
wreath at Lord Baden Powell’s grave on behalf of
all American Boy Scouts), the Houses of
Parliament, Hyde Park, Battersea Park, theatre
matinees in the West End, the Warner Brothers
cinema in Piccadilly, the Farnborough Air Show,
Oxford and Cambridge…the list seems endless.
Suffice it said – we took advantage of our
mobility in England, and I came away a changed
boy, with love for England to this day.

I have especially happy,
enduring memories of our many weekends spent
camping at Ruislip Lido. We never thought
to ask whether we were allowed to camp there;
without objection we just did! Even more,
I loved my years living in Ruislip. Surely
it remains the same charming spot of civility I
remember.

Robert

My one memory of the
lido was taking part in the 1963 speedboat
manufactures trials. I was co pilot for Ken
Stephenson, who subsequently won the event in an
X craft (The fastest class of boat at the time).
I had to be lifted out of the boat at the end of
the three hour race because I was frozen in the
sitting position after being buffeted in that
position for so long.

Bryan

My parents and I moved to
16 Lynmouth Drive Ruislip Manor in 1936.
I left in 1960 to go and live in Guernsey.
(as did Jean - wonder if you are still
here).

My memories of the
area are numerous, much as other
contributors, Naked Norman included.
We encountered him in Copse wood while
collecting Bluebells. I remember many
people doing the same in all three woods,
riding away on bikes with saddlebags
bulging. From Ruislip Manor I either
walked through Park Wood or took the 158
bus. Until 1939 it was possible to
ride on the 223 bus which started at the
junction of Victoria and Torcross Roads.
During the early part of the war there was
netting placed across the Lido, rumour had
it that it was to mimic the runway layout at
Northolt, can anyone confirm this?

I remember the Donkey
Rides and the railway. It was great in
1999 to see the Donkey Rides 6d sign in the
Beefeater. There was a broad walkway
at the head of the reservoir with a long
pergola covered with roses and vines.
Copse Wood and the common were the places to
look for shrapnel during the war. Two
airliners collided over this wood in the
1950's. I saw Donald and Malcolm
Campbell there and enjoyed hydroplane racing
and water skiing events.

The friends I went to
the Lido with were Brian Carter, Derek
Graydon, Brian Burgess and Audrey Golly.

Roy

In the 60's we made many trips to Ruislip
Lido from our home in Eastcote. I learned to
swim off the sandy beach I recognized from
your photos. I caught Silver Bream and other
fish, though never one of the pike which
were known to inhabit the Lido. I remember
filling a paper carrier bag (no plastic ones
in those days) with smelly fungi from the
woods for a school project (including a
stink horn - must have been popular on the
bus home!). The Lido made for a great day
out - plenty for kids to do, and I can still
smell the smoke of the train as it chugged
around the woods.

Colin

Finding this website was a real joy for me,
having spent almost all of my spare time in
my youth, visiting the Lido, from 1961 (as a
baby, with my mother and father) up until
this day. I'm not the frequent visitor that
I once was, due mainly to the fact that I
now live on Portland in Dorset.

As I sit here and write, I can still feel the
hot summer sunshine and the sights and
smells of the place, when it was in the
height of its popularity. I vividly remember
the sound of the speedboat towing the
water-skiers, the children’s voices around
the pool and sand areas and the train
rattling along through the wooded area.

I did just about everything there, fishing,
catching frogs, toads, and the occasional
grass snake, swimming, walking and golf
practice! I sometimes used to visit the lido
on an icy foggy night, just for the
atmosphere! Try explaining that one to the
police when you’re stopped at 1.00am in the
morning (walking) on your way home to South
Harrow.

I
know that many people consider the railway
extension to have been a good thing, and
from a fun point of view it was, but for me
it was like building a motorway right
through some of the most quiet, peaceful,
wildlife habitat we had in that area.
Just me I suppose!

A few films have been mentioned, that have
been filmed here. One that I don't
think has, was, “The Bulldog Breed”, with
Norman Wisdom. The scene I am referring to
is; where Norman tries to commit suicide, by
throwing an anchor off a pier, attached to
his foot. Unfortunately it lands in the back
of a passing speedboat, going through the
boat, and towing him around, with himself,
boat and driver sinking in the harbour.
(This was filmed in Portland Harbour). He
then resurfaces (with the hapless driver) in
Ruislip Lido (good trick eh!)

I really do miss those days, but recent
visits just serve to remind me, that this is
now a very different place to what it once
was. Although I must say its very peaceful
there!

Paul Rumble

Greatest memory for me of the lido was the
summers of 1961/1962 when I "worked" on the
little ferry that went on probably the
shortest route from one side of the lido to
the other. I was 12/13 at the time and was
the boy that sat on the bow on each
crossing. My job was to jump off on landing
with the bow rope in my hand to tie off at
the pier, then to tie the stern off so
people could safely alight Two fantastic
summers I will never forget... I wonder
where Peter D Slade [the

captain] is now?

John

Every Summer during
the 70’s my mum would take me and my sister
off to Ruislip Lido, and if we were lucky,
we were able to bring a few friends as well.
Although the landscape is similar, some of
the facilities are quite different now. I
remember the paddle boats which were always
a treat and once aboard my boat, I would
always be hoping your number wouldn’t be
called up yet to return.

There used to be two
separate entrances, both off of the main
road, and with big iron turnstiles. The best
area for me was the grass bank where
everyone would picnic. This was in front of
the swimming area and the Jetty. The Jetty
was great to swim up to and the good
swimmers would climb onto it and show off to
the weaker swimmers. I remember the café
which was by the grass bank, it was painted
white and had glass doors. Ice Cream was
always mandatory from the café on our
visits. It would come in those blocks with
paper wrapped around, and the cone would
have a rectangular top end to drop the ice
cream block into.

I remember watching
the water-skiing and imagining myself going
over the jump. A real feature of the Lido
was the big triangular water-ski jump
pointing out of the water and towards the
sky.

For the record, my
Grandad worked for British Waterways and was
involved in the creation of the beach part
of the lido and loading all the sand.

Mark Walsh

I used to play at Ruislip Lido in the
years 1938 to 1945. I lived at 10 Lawn
Close. Near the Bell Pub on West End
Road. A group of my friends and I
would hike up to the Lido and hike the
bush areas around it. It w as very
primitive in those days but I spent many
a day around the Lido.. We left for
Canada in 1947 and I have never been
back but would like to see it all again.
It sure has changed by the look of the
pictures.

John Tyler

I remember walking
round the Lido about 10 times (I think the
circuit was 2 miles so 20 miles in total)
for a sponsored walk for Help the Aged. I
was in the brownies when I did it and I
didn't want to go on my own, even though
loads of people were doing it, so my Dad did
it with me. It must have been in the early
70's probably about 1972

Sally

Born at
Hillingdon
Hospital
in February 1943, I lived at
40 Dartmouth Road
until we were bombed (I believe by a doodlebug) later that year. After a period
of wandering around the country as refugees we returned to a temporary home at
2 Windermere Ave
, Eastcote. 40
Dartmouth
was rebuilt and we returned C1947 where I lived until I married in 1964. My
parents left the address about 1966.

The
Lido
and the surrounding woods and fields hold many happy memories. It was here that
I learned to recognise and identify the local bird life both by sight and song.
Like other correspondents I usually managed to find my way into the
Lido
by means other than the official turnstiles. My parents would have killed me if
they had known I was that far from home (I think was 8 or 9 when I first started
visiting on my own!) and would have been even more upset if they knew I was
avoiding paying my dues to the parky .

On warm days during the school holidays my mother would
pack up a few sandwiches and drinks, we would walk through the woods and spend
long idyllic days on the beach. I seem to recall that the sand was too coarse to
make proper sandcastles and left a yellow stain on clothes and skin. If you dug
too deep (about 18 inches) you hit the layer of blue clay that kept the
reservoir waterproof!

Does anyone else remember when Donald Campbell brought
his Bluebird to the
Lido
? This would have been in the late 50 s I think. Although he could not get the
thing out of first gear, it certainly was a spectacular sight.

Yes, these really are pictures of
Bluebird on Ruislip Lido. I doubted them at first, here is what I was told.
(ROL)

The pictures of Bluebird were taken by
me. (My father was a keen photographer and gave me my first camera when
I was about 6 years old - a box Kodak Brownie of about 1940 vintage!)
The pictures were taken from the east shore (Park Wood side) of the
Lido
, probably about half way along; certainly beyond the beach area. In
"Bluebird 1", if you look carefully just above the boats rear fin, you
can make out the old pavilion behind the marquees that were erected for
the occasion. I have attached a third picture, "Bluebird 3", which
really only shows the spray sent up when the throttles were opened a
fraction, but again the old pavilion can just be made out on the left
hand edge of the picture. I have enhanced the pictures as much as
possible using Photoshop to bring out as much detail as possible but as
the originals are about 50 years old we cannot expect miracles.

Click on any picture to
enlarge

A previous entry from Bryan (above), recalls the
speedboat racing which I think was held in the late 50 s and early 60 s. These
pictures probably taken in about 1962, may jerk a few memories.

The second picture shows that even the
Lido
could blow up a bit rough at times and if I remember correctly, this particular
meeting had to be abandoned as the smaller hydrofoils could not cope with the
rough water.

I also recall in the mid 50 s, again after having got in
by the backdoor, seeing Yana (or was it Sabrina?) at the
Lido
. Anyway, it was one of those busty blonde TV game-show hostesses. I can't
remember why she was there, all I can remember is thinking (as teenage lads do)
how smashing she was!!

Happy days!

Andy

My memories of Ruislip Lido are misty but I do remember
being taken around by one of my neighbours in Deane Ave who was quite high
on the management ladder I believe. His name was Mr Ablett I think. I was
only about 8 or 10 at the time. I think this was before it re-opened after
being shut down for some time. (late 40's to early 50's I think).

The other thing I remember is that they used the Lido for
a scene in a war movie. (Above Us The Waves, or Cockleshell Hero's or the
like) Not sure but I think Jack Hawkins was in it. They used large fans to
stir the water up into waves so that it looked like a rough sea.

Robert

I can remember going to dances at the Ruislip Lido before I went to Canada in
l956. Some close friends of mine names Findlay were members.
Leonard Findlay was the Commodore for quite some time and I think one of his
sons Paul also was a Commodore up until the time he married.

They were quite lively dances with a bar and live band
and good refreshments.

Sheila

Further to Andy's comments, in the mid-1950s my elder
brother and I were at the Lido (always pronounced 'L(eye)do' in our family)
during a big event, when the model/starlet Sabrina (a Jayne Mansfield
look-alike - wonder what was her real name?) was in attendance. She was
celebrity judge at a beauty contest, just one of the day's attractions. The
organisers had set up a board on a stage with the profile of Sabrina cut out
of it. Aspiring beauties had to stand in the cut-out and were judged
according to how closely they fitted!! When the time came for Sabrina to
depart, she was driven off down a cinder track in a huge, pink, open-topped
American car. My brother, amongst others, chased after it as it moved slowly
away and jumped onto the back bumper. Such enthusiasm! And, as you can see,
it's the only one of the day's attractions I can still remember!!

Going to the Lido was a great trip out back then
(1950s) - sand to play on, ice-creams, train rides... We went in at the main
entrance and the place seemed huge. Walked round to the right, passing the
rowing boats and then, on the far side, eventually reached woods of silver
birch where the little railway ran. I don't think you could get all the way
round, and somewhere up

the far end was where the swans nested in among the
reeds. My mother warned me to stay away with that story about them being
able to break a man's arm with a wing beat.

I was always fascinated by the water-ski jump that was
moored in the middle of the lake, rising up steeply like the roof of our
house in Rosebury Vale.

So happy days at Ruislip Lido. I've never been back but
I'd like to think it was still giving people pleasure today.

Alan

I remember the Lido in the fifties and sixties as being
like a seaside resort. There were organised activities albeit they
were quite simple events, steam train rides, ice creams, donkey rides and
more. I used to go there with my father and brother (occasionally my mother
would come too) for the day. I always took my fishing rod and on rare
occasions caught a few small fish.

My abiding memory of the lido was the residential
black tom cat. He was gorgeous, beautiful and huge ; everyone used to
stroke him or if they were strong enough, pick him up for a hug. Dogs
gave him a wide birth.. All the fishermen used to give him their catch
and he devoured them with relish. He was always on the bank near the
boat sheds near where the rowing boats were moored.

My other memories were running around the lake. I
belonged to Ruislip and Northwood Athletic Club, just at the back of the
woods in Coronation Road. Sadly and just like the Lido, the athletic
club is derelict and the track overgrown. Finally, the Lido was superb
for courting in the 60's. The people today are so different to those
of that long lost age and I suppose, the Lido has had it's day.

Dick (living at Northolt in the prefabs then)

I saw the names Clayton and Snelling in the memories section and immediately
went back 50 - 60 years when my late father (John Backhouse) worked at the
Lido for the Canal Company. Other names from that period include John
Miller (General Manager), Cyril Saywood (Regional Manager) and his secretary
Maisie Matthews (still with us though in a nursing home), father's secretary
Gwen Hill, Arthur Brawn (Finance), ? Goddard (personnel).

I attach some scans of photos and a brochure I have
which I would like to relocate in somewhere more deserving than my
attic.

I was always told that my Mother thought up the
Woody Bay name for the station but that may only be legend!

As now a forty old man who walks these woods every other day and lido I
think it is better today then in the seventies. Yes swimming has gone
but to be honest their are not many out door places to swim now in the
summer because of algea bloom. I might add the fishing is excellent but even
in the old days it was a hard place too fish. With every thing like
swimming, water skiing gone the lido is rich in wildlife.

In October I filmed muntjac deer, teal, pochard,
shoveller, ruddyduck, fieldfare, redwing, fox, Canada goose, kingfisher
x 3. The animals and birds I have missed are buzzard, sparrow hawk, roe
deer. I am still filming and as you can see you can not visit many
places in London and see this amount of wildlife. So in one respect we
lose some things but we have certainly now got a good place for wildlife
now. I have seen deer in the lido itself, and have witnessed people
going past with out seeing them so my advice to people is keep your eyes
open you never know what you might see.

Anthony

The Lido froze to a depth of about 700 mm in the
winter of either 1951/2 or 1952/3, I would have been 13 or 14 years old.

The council had a bore taken and declared it to
be safe to walk on or do anything you wanted on the ice.

Naturally an admission charge was made, and
people came for miles, I was a keen skater (usually going to Wembley
Rink) and for me this was fantastic, although later the surface ice
became so dirty that it wore the edge off my skates and they had to be
reground.

Other people made slides, had picnics and walked
their dogs, there was an atmosphere of excitement everywhere. Does
anyone remember these days?

John Brindle

I used to go there in its heyday and had my first experience of riding
on a donkey there - donkey rides being a popular feature. The
man would line the donkey up in between two sets of steps or ladders
or something so that us kids (or adults) could climb sedately up on
to the animal and then climb sedately down, after the ride - no
bucking broncos for us typically suburban families.

Heather Tyrrell

My wife and I now live in Fremantle W.Australia
but we have fond memories of the Lido, as we only lived around the
corner in Bury Street. We were both saddened by the greed of the local
council who caused the demise of a great attraction. Who does not know
of its feature in one of the Cliff Richard films. Get out the video, and
see what it was like in its heyday. Perhaps a highlight on this website
could be arranged. We can both remember when there was a managerie which
included small monkeys around by the beach area. Can any body else
remember that? (ROL would comment that nobody seems to
remember this, do you?)

John & Iris Russell

I see many references to fishing at the Lido.
Indeed, this is where I caught my very first fish, ever! I was about
10 at the time, way back in the early 50's. I was so thrilled and
hurriedly dropped it in my little sack, and off home I went. I lived
in South Ruislip so had a fair bus ride. About half way home, the
sack started jumping around. Obviously the fish had regained
consciousness or something! I found that the metal hand rail on the
seat in front of me was the only way to control this disconcerting
activity. As you can imagine, I receive many strange disapproving
looks from the other passengers.

Arriving home, I proudly laid my trophy out on
the counter in the conservatory at the back of the house, and
patiently waited for my fathers return from work. Upon his arrival,
I ushered him hurriedly through the house to show him my
prize.......... All that remained were one or two bones and a bit of
fin, and our cat with a smile on its face! Well, we loved the cat
.... but only just enough to spare him one of his nine lives! I
never fished at the Lido again after that!

Robert D

I remember watching Donald Campbell's Bluebird at
Ruislip in the late 1950's! We lived in South Harrow at the
time, and my dad took me there - I remember the crowds more than
anything - but also Bluebird skimming across the water at incredible
speed!

Sheena

I remember been taken by my Mother along with
my five younger brothers and sisters to the lido in the summer
holidays in the sixties. Taking all we needed on a double-decker bus
and then on arrival a ferry across to the beach side. But for some
reason we would walk back past the fishing.

As we became teenagers and went with our
friends we preferred the swimming pool side where you could swim out
to the raft where the life guards sat. We sat on the grass in front
of the cafe and the outdoor changing rooms.

The paddle boats were a favourite before we
tried rowing around the lake. Cliff being there for filming summer
holiday made it more special for teenage girls. I remember the cafe,
beach hut for ice creams and rides on the train. I then returned
with my three children when they were small to the beach and they
tried water skiing in the summer holidays and all learnt to row
there. Its a shame it is no longer used for swimming.

My mother remembers my brother thought the tide
was coming in, she didn't tell him it was the wash from the ski
boats, till he was much older.

The car park in the wood by the lake was a
romantic meeting place for couples and where I first let my children
have a go at driving!

Very happy memories spanning generations, shame
its no longer the same.

Elizabeth

Hi. Back in the mid eighties my brother and i
would often visit the "lido" in winter, travelling by bus with
all our fishing gear.

We would hire a small rowing boat for about a
£1 and spend all day fishing for pike, and we caught some great
fish, the biggest being about 10lb in weight.

Reading your website and seeing the boats
have gone is something of a shock to me, we had some great times
there.

It is great to see your site and brought back
some fond memories.

Regards...Pete

I grew up in the 1960`s in Greenford Middlesex but then around
1973 we moved to Shepherds Bush London W12 Despite being further
away geographically we still made long sojourns out to the Lido
in the late 1970`s

It was a mammoth bus ride with
two changes to get from W12 out to farthest reaches of Middlesex
eventually arriving there on a LT number E2 I can remember being
there in the long hot summer of 1976 where the Mr Softee ice
cream van parked outside on the concourse served a queue a
quarter of a mile long at least the heat really was blistering
and the grass around the Lidos edge was scorched browner than a
British Leyland Austin Allegro at that point I also remember
being there in 1977 the day Elvis Presley died lots of those
"Tinny" Jap transistor radio's blaring out Elvis DJ Tribute
tracks all day long around the lidos edge also remember some
younger kids on skateboards trying to get long straight runs on
increasingly crowded footpath s!

Funny thing I was watching a Dave
Allen sketch series on BBC1 recently and one sketch shows Dave
himself trying to retrieve a £10 note from under the front left
wheel of a hideously bright orange coloured VW Beetle but what
was of interest? It must of been filmed around 1975/1976 because
clearly in the background is the Punch and Judy Cafe and the
Lido garage which were both seated at the entrance road to the
Ruislip lido at that time its a brief snippet but its a memory
stirring one all the same

Sean

I was at the lido on the beach when Donald Campbell demonstrated
the jet powered Bluebird. He gave a running commentary on
his RT that was relayed over Tannoys around the lake. He
only touched the accelerator but had to back off before he
went aground at the end of the lake. The noise and spray
were impressive. It must have been some time after 1955
when the boat was designed.

John van Eerde

Childhood memories: - When I was a kid
back in the mid seventies me and my mates used to skive off
from school ( Manor Secondary) and go hang around at the
Lido getting up to mischief. On hot days you could paddle in
the water and on wet days we used to loaf about in the
shelter down by the swings smoking. I fished there, played
there, rode my bike there and on one memorable
occasion snogged a girl called Lorraine there!

I saw its heyday and I've seen its sad
demise. When my kids were growing up they in turn enjoyed
walking round it on sunny Sundays and playing on the sands
and swings. We have moved away now but I still try to walk
round when I'm back in the area visiting and the memories
come flooding back. I wonder where Lorraine is these days?
John Harrison

Happening on this webpage brought back
many memories of Lido afternoons in the 1950's. My parents
moved to the Broadwalk in Northwood in 1954 so we children
often walked through Copse Wood and over the Common to the
Lido, it was a regular excursion and I remember our mother
giving us a picnic of orange juice and jam sandwiches.
Simple days!

Jayne mentioned Naked Norman: I remember
him too, we kids thought it was a terrific joke to catch a
glimpse of him in the altogether through the trees; my
mother, who only found out about him decades later, was
predictably hysterical but it was a more innocent age and I
still believe he was harmless.

Thanks to all those who've put this
great page together. It has been wonderful to read it

Miggie

I well remember Ruislip Lido... taken
there first as a young lass from Wembley and then around my
late teens with friends. If I remember correctly, it
was a base for American G.I.'s and us girls were in our
glory in the 1953-56 period... trying our darndest to get
picked up by gum chewing, good looking U.S. boys, who always
seemed to have NYLONS... a girl's dream come true.

Those were the "good old days" when, just
after the war, we had fun, doing everything with a lot less
than this generation seems to have.

Used to have an American living on our
street, Riverside Gardens, and he and his wife were the
first to take my sister and I there. Apart from going
to Clacton by the Sea, this was the nearest thing to a beach
we had anywhere close to Wembley.

I am now living in Canada (since 1959)
and am retired and enjoying life... I would like (sometimes)
to revisit the "good old days"

Marie Grace Emmel

(Nee Watson)

Canada.

My name is Bob Randall. My family home
was in South Drive, parallel with the High Street, where we
lived from Christmas 1949. I was a frequent visitor to the Lido,
belonging to the sailing club from about 1954. The RSC started
with Heron dinghies, one of which was No 13, the club boat. This
was available to junior non-boat owning members. The sailing was
most competitive and the club well supported. The weekend was
divided between the sailing club and the water-skiers -- to try
to keep both parties happy. My regular skipper was Andy
Salanson. Another Ruislip sailing mate of mine was David Moore.
We were in the same class at Bishopshalt, and my wife and I
stayed
with him in new Zealand 2 years ago. We often did a dog walk
from Ruislip to the Lido, through the woods. Sometimes taking
the 158 bus back home.

One of the contributors mentions "netting" over part of the Lido
in the war. My understanding was that the triangular plan of the
flooded valley when viewed from the air, pointed to the Command
Headquarters in Northwood. Somebody realised that this was
aiding the
Germans bombing runs on the HQ. Pontoons and netting were rigged
on the east side/north end of the Lido to "point" into Haste
Hill. That may explain why there were so many bomb craters in
that area.

I remember Donald Campbell and Bluebird
running at the Lido. Billy Butlin was there, I believe as
organiser of the event.

I am pleased to have had many years of sailing, rowing and
walking at the Lido.

Rab Randall

I lived in Ruislip Gardens 1950 until
1965,my parents left in 1980 but still have ties with the
town. I really enjoyed the photos, ashamed to say I didn't
recognize many of them! The Lido was a big family favourite,
a healthy walk around the Lido" was my Dad's answer to
everything!!! We went there in all weathers, had to ride our
bikes in early years as there was no family car until I went
to middle school (Manor Sec) Later caught the bus but had to
change at Ruislip except on Sunday when there was a direct
connection, but only in the summer!

I now live in Florida but my family are all in U.K.

Gillian Grove(nee Hicks)

During the 1950s I spent many happy
hours at the Lido, swimming and watching the water skiing.
There were also some exhibitions of synchronised swimming at
the Lido but I'm not sure who was responsible for these. I
also remember watching skating so could this have been the
winter of 1962/63?

Yvonne Watson

I can remember back in the early 60s
I used to help out on the ferry that took passengers
from the main side of the Lido to the beach side 3d in
the old money one way, I did it for nothing, just for
the fun of going back and forth on the boat.

There was a life guard that worked at
the Lido called Freddie he used to row his boat on what
we used to call the concrete side of the Lido.

Then there was the big freeze when
the Lido froze completely over, even a Land-Rover went
on the lake towing people behind on skates.

Dave White

I remember very vividly the
extremely cold and icy winter of 1962/63. I was 11 and
we were living in Ladygate Lane at the time, there are
photos of me with a toboggan pulling my little brother
around the streets.

We spent a lot of time in the
Pinn fields sliding down the slopes there I recall. But
what I remember most is a trip to the Lido which was
completely frozen over.

Apart from the skaters what
impressed me the most was a Landrover had been driven
out onto the ice and the barbecues being held on the ice
- I couldn't understand why the heat from the fires
didn't melt the ice (still don't actually) and fall into
the Lido!

Penny King

I was one of the English kids that use
to ride by the base when I was 12 to 16 year’s old looking
from outside the fence and little did I know at that time I
would later be looking from the other side of the fence.

I went to the states in Dec 1950 joined the USAF did my
training at F E Warren AFB etc and in 1953 I was station to
Ruislip AF Base, stayed for a very short period and then
went to good old Sidi Slimane AF Base in French Morocco. I
then returned to Ruislip AF Base in 1954 assigned to AACS Sq
and worked in the Communications Centre in the building with
the NCO club.

It was very interesting in that all of my buddies married
girls from UK and I married my American pen pal back in the
States (we have five children plus 12 grandchildren).

I was born in Hanwell and lived in Harrow until I was 18
year’s old so I could not have been stationed any closer to
my home and while stationed at Ruislip I lived with my
parents.

Very good memories of my day’s at Ruislip looking from the
other side of the fence.

Walter A Mackinem

My brother recalls part of the film Oh
What a Whopper was filmed at the Lido around "the sands"
area. Terence Longdon was in it and Adam Faith.
They raced across the sands pointing to what I presume was a
sighting of the Loch Ness Monster.

My brother and I have lots of happy
memories of Ruislip Lido. We lived in Ruislip during the
1940s and early 50s. As soon as we were old enough to go out
by ourselves we would walk the three miles or so -
unaccompanied by any adult - to the Lido and its adjoining
woods, where we played safely. We remember the little
railway, donkey rides (ponies were too expensive and they
just galloped quickly round the ring), and the sight of a
girl who had cut her foot on broken glass in the water.

Does anyone know anything about
the photograph of the man,
woman and boy
in the boat on the Lido? She looks remarkably like our
mother (who is no longer alive to confirm it) but it might
just be the hairstyle that was popular at that time.

Gordon Gibson and Moira O'Brien (nee
Gibson).

In reply to Gordon Gibson and Moira O Brian the photo of
man a woman in boat is My Mother and father. Irene and
Tom Backhouse. The boy could be my brother Norman or my
cousin John or David. My Father's brother jack gained an
MBE for work connected with the Lido and had something
to do with the train being brought

Jean Welch nee Backhouse

I remember the Lido through the
1970's as we would go swimming there. I remember that
you could walk from the grassy bit outside the cafe
building into the water down a concreted floor section until
it stopped and you suddenly dropped to the softer sand.
There used to be a floating pontoon a little bit out into
the water which we would swim to and dive from. I
loved the place, although the cafe was totally awash with
wasps... I was amazed the place was allowed to fall into
disarray. My last visit there was in the early 1990s
when there was some event on there and as a member of the
local TA unit we put a stand up to advertise ourselves.
We were tasked with walking around the sandy bit in full
uniform to chat with people...

Martin

My name is Gordon Langston. In the
late 50s and early 60s I used to go to the lido. I was
7-10 yrs old I used to fish and swim I have fond memories of
it seeing the land rover fall through the ice when testing
for skating, Cliff Richard on the beach in the film Summer
Holiday, the floating boat to swim to, the row boats to go
out in, the kids paddle boats. the skiing man with a kite,
(I went swimming with his children) coming out through the
turnstile when it was closed (always frightened about
getting stuck in it ), pike fishing of the pier and the
train.

It used to cost me tuppence on the
bus. I think it was the 158 from Eastcote it went past where
I lived in S Harrow.

Gordon

I lived in Ruislip Gardens all
through the 50s and can remember such good days at the
Lido during the school holidays. I saw the making of the
Titanic, and the film Summer Holiday. The main job for
us boys then was to collect the empty Coke and Pepsi
bottles off the Yanks who were stationed at South and
West Ruislip, I seem to remember making as much as ten
bob on some weekends, to us that was a fortune.

Also on one occasion Donald
Campbell, and his boat Bluebird were there, and the pin
up of the day Sabrina, to add a bit of glamour.

I’ve seen body’s pulled out of the water, the first aid
hut kept busy with people coming out of the water with
cut feet from broken glass or a fish hook stuck in their
foot, and nether put us lads off!

Rod

I have some happy memories of The
Lido from The 70s, when myself & friends used to fish it
when teenagers. We used to camp out at the 'top' end-
i.e. the northern, shallow bit, away from the main
entrance-, & fish through from early evening to early
morning. (I'm not sure this was actually allowed,
but...) We never caught much, really- just small roach,
bream, perch & the occasional tench-, but it was a lot
of fun, of course. On the other hand, a bloke caught a
22lb pike back in February this year, I believe! A
35lber came out back in about 1910, too. It was a shame
that half of it dried up back in the late 80s/90s (?), &
the water is far from clean now. I think this is as a
result of stagnancy- no flow in or out, blanket weed,
silt etc-, & perhaps something could be done on this.
The Lido in Venice- whence, its name!- is a bathing
resort, but our Ruislip version has 'Do not enter the
water' signs & the possibility of Weil's Disease...
Unfortunately, too, I do not find The Water's Edge pub
much to my taste, this is another shame, as the location
is pretty stunning with its views, wildfowl & general
picturesqueness. A good pub instead of a mediocre one
would improve The Lido's appeal. Still, you can't have
everything, & The Lido is on the whole a place to be
thankful for!

L Barron

Had many a good time at the Lido when
I was little...we used to walk through the woods from
Salisbury Lane I vaguely remember the woods opening out into
something I thought was magical...there were even
water-skiers....I had a red seersucker swimsuit that was
more like pants with a bib (tres fashionable at the end of
the 1950's....I remember complaining to my mum that I hurt
once only for mum to realise that somehow some (quite a few
as I remember) earwigs had found their way in and had bitten
or pinched me.....and when I left the water half of the Lido
would be in that swimsuit.....and I loved the train....I
think I remember we were visiting at the time Cliff Richard
made Summer Holiday..you never know me and my little red
swimsuit may been on footage there somewhere ... Very happy
memories.

Julie D

I used to frequent the lido on the
early to mid 70's. It was the only place to go in the summer
to get some sun and try and chat up the girls. My mates and
myself used to catch the bus from the Eastcote Arms in South
Harrow. It was an excellent place to go. I haven't been back
since, but the memories are all good. we used to dive into
the water with our jeans on to impress the girls. After
reading some of these stories and the reports that it has
become run down it has saddened me. Where do all the kids go
now?

John Cornish

I lived in Ruislip Manor at 31 Filey
Waye from 1939 - 1960. My Mother continued to live there
until 1971 - 72. I can remember walking up Windmill Hill and
going through the woods to pick Bluebells and of course slip
into the Lido. When Mum took us we had to ride the 158 bus.
I can remember always having a tadpole net with me and
caught some pretty good sized Newts at the Lido. I also went
to Lady Bankes School. I started in Sept. 1944, Miss Fosters
class. I married a Yank and now reside in the States

Mary

I lived in Ruislip from 1963 – 1988
and the Lido was a big part of my growing up! My strongest
memories were going up to see the fireworks in November. My
dad and I used to stand outside the wire fence
(cheapskates!). There was always a lesser display at the
athletics club in Bury Street (near the blue Dr Who Police
Box!) and the traffic crawled up Bury Street all the way
from Ladygate Lane. The Lido was a fantastic venue for a
display – you got twice as much for your money with the
lovely reflections! I never seem to remember it raining.
Summer Sundays were sometimes spent up there on the swings,
etc at the edge of the woods. The stalls never seemed to be
open. Ice creams from the paper shop on the corner of
Reservoir Road on the way home!

David

Once or twice each summer holiday was all my
dear Mum could afford to take me and my 4 brothers to the Lido
during the late 50s and early 60s. We lived in Hayes and all
piled on a 98 bus to Ruislip where we'd wait in a long queue for
the 158. Funny how you remember things like bus route numbers,
eh? I remember the taxis used to pull up at the bus stop and
offer to take 2 families to the Lido in one cab for the same
price as the bus but my Mum never took up the offer. For us post
war babies, a visit to the Lido was the highlight of the summer
hols as we rarely had the chance of a proper holiday at the
seaside. Here we had a beach to build sand castles, the water to
paddle in, the railway, of course, which we loved, although it
was only one go each, and the dreaded wasps. Nevertheless, I
have such fond memories of Ruislip Lido and it is such a pity
that those days have gone forever. I still live quite close to
Ruislip but I doubt I will ever return because I think it would
just be too sad to see its demise, especially the loss of that
magnificent art deco building near the entrance.

Pete

I read the section on Ruislip Lido with
much interest. Already I have added some comments to the section
on Ruislip Lido Sailing Club. No one seems to have mentioned
that very special time on the Queens Coronation in 1953? when
all the local schools were given a holiday. We were each given a
teaspoon and commemorative mug but best of all was a free coupon
which could be used at Ruislip Lido. There were 3 or 4 sections
on the coupon for different rides you could go on. The paddle
boats was one of them and the donkey rides also the steam train.
Lots of children went up there on the day and had a great time
with all the free rides. The common next to the main Lido
entrance was also a great place to play. There was a pond up the
slope towards the woods which I always thought was a flooded
bomb crater. There was a small stream running down towards the
Lido which was great fun to dam. We had a camp just inside the
woods with a tent made of sticks and leaves. For some unknown
reason there was a china wedding cake there too. Not sure where
that came from! The first Ruislip Scouts used to hold 'Wide
Games' on the common at night. The target of the two teams was
the others base. Usually a lighted candle in a jam jar tied up
in a tree or in a spiky bush. We wore pieces of cotton on our
arms as 'lives' If the other side broke your cotton (life) you
were disqualified. I remember coming home late at night cut and
bruised after these games as no quarter was asked or given.

Patrick

I lived at 36 Keswick Gardens North Ruislip from August
1957 until October 1963 and have good memories of that bitter winter of 1963 and
the Lido being frozen over until early March.
The Council declared it safe to go on when the ice depth reached 7 inches.
Dozens of people bravely dared to venture out onto the ice, including me, who
was able to walk out of my back garden and through the woods down to the Lido. I
was able to gain access through the Lido's back turnstile which was open all
that winter and I was able to skate for free for the next 6 or 7 weeks. As each
week went by, more and more daring feats were carried out on the ice including
Penny King's memory of a Land-Rover driving on the ice towing several skiers
behind it. (See photo)

.

I remember also one evening. I think in October 1957, being told by my mother
that they were filming down on the Lido. In semi gloom I walked through the
woods and watched fascinated as filming of 'A Night to Remember' was being shot.
I didn't know it then, but the y were shooting the final scenes of the film.
Large Arc Lamps shone down on a lifeboat that was filled with Edwardian clothed
film extras. Two men with a large wooden plank were plunging it up and down in
the water so as to create a bit of a sea swell.

My other memory is one warm sunny August evening in 1959, suddenly hearing a
deep throated roar of an engine like I had never heard before. The noise was ear
shattering and my immediate thought was, 'Its the Bluebird', which indeed it was
and testing its engine for the next day performance in front of a 20,000 crowd.
I have a short colour cine-film of Donald Campbell with his Bluebird on that
memorable Saturday afternoon.

Michael

On your Ruislip Lido remembrances page,
someone named Dave left the following comment:

"I also recall seeing the first person to water-ski without skis showing off at
the Lido, I believe in the early 60's. "

That would have been my dad, Jack May. He
was a member of the ski club at Ruislip, and a close friend of its
director, David Nations.

Dad was the first man in England, and one of the first half-dozen or so in the
world, to successfully water-ski barefoot. It requires
glassy water, a very powerful and fast boat, and great strength. I skied for
years when I was a boy and never managed to do it barefoot.

Dad was on the UK national team, and later a judge for international
water-skiing competitions. He taught hundreds of people to ski. He is
still alive in 2009, at the age of 86, and resides in Prescott, Arizona.

Just back from visiting the lido today
[Sept 09] with my now 87 yr old mother after around 45 years since my last visit
shortly after we moved from Greenford in late 1962-memories coming back of the
roped off swimming area, digging down in the sand to find what seemed like coal
dust [yes, me too!] the original railway, water skiing, turnstiles, bus ride et
al- such simple pleasures!

Much quieter now but in a different way
still worth future visits. [Been flying for a [quite!] big airline from LHR past
20 yrs or so & when landing on the easterly runway sometimes pass over the
lido-looks a real oasis in an otherwise built up area!]

Pete B

I worked in the lido cafe during
my summer holidays in 1962, 1963 and 1964. In 1962 I worked in the main (art
deco) building but the following year spent a lot of time at the beach hut
cafe. This used to get “raided” sometimes by visitors in the night who would
make a mess with the sweets, ice-cream cones, and anything else that was
edible and left around. At the time I was told that it was squirrels, but I
have often wondered since if it might have been Gliss Gliss (edible
dormice), who are now established in woods nearby. The catering was run by
an independent contractor and I earned 2/6 per hour but towards the end of
the of my last summer I doubled my wage to 5/- by going to work for the
Council on the paddle boats. As mentioned by others, the boss was Mr
Newstead, and the foreman was Mr Murphy (no first names in those days!).
Above the cafe in the main building they used to undertake catering jobs.
This included a regular rotary club dinner but also various one-off
functions. I had my 21st
birthday party there in 1968.

Keith

I Lived in Reservoir rd which led
up to the Lido from the age of 9 in 1965 until 1973 my Father was “Fred “
the life guard and my mother worked in the canteen mainly on the beach side.
My father would do maintenance such as repairing fences and laying pipes in
the off season (winter months) or mending the row boats.

It was a great place for a kid to grow up with the lido full of thousands of
people in the summer making an exciting holiday atmosphere. There was a
small “Gang” of us consisting of Kingsley, Mick, Kevin, Paul and Myself
getting in to all kinds of mischief that kids our age would.We would spend
from sun up to sundown playing in the Lido or the woods surrounding it.

My older step brother hung an old crane cable from a tree in the car park by
Ruislip common and at one time i think we had 14 kids swinging on it at the
same time, I wonder if it still there?. It was a great place to grow up
learning to swim and fish making rafts from old drums and building tree
houses in the trees being there every day even in winter we saw and did
things that we never would of in the towns or city.

Trying to put it into words seem inadequate maybe one of the “Gang” can have
a better go.

Dave

I lived in Bury Street in
Ruislip from 1975 to 1991, Ruislip Lido played a huge part in my
childhood, walking through the woods to the turnstile entrance by the
sandy beach, spending many a summer evening there with our inflatable
boats. As a teenager it was over to the other side for the ice
cream and sunbathing.

November was always firework
time and our then next door neighbour was part of the roundtable who did
the fireworks always a brilliant display and we had the walk home to
beat the traffic.

Someone mentioned the
newsagent on the corner of Reservoir Road, I just to do an early morning
paper round for them! I moved away in 1991 but the Lido
always stays in my memories.

I lived in South Ruislip from 1940
until 1958, and in March 1959 I got married and moved to Greenford, we had
our wedding reception at the lido, and we celebrated our Golden Wedding
anniversary at the Waters Edge Pub with family and friends in March last
year, it brought back very fond memories. The food and service were
excellent on all occasions.

June

Its been lovely reminiscing while
reading all these stories about Ruislip & The Lido (pronounced by my family
& friends as Lie-doh!!).

My mother often recalls her memories of when she visited with her older
brother, unfortunately missing the filming of Summer Holiday with Cliff
Richard - she was and still is a huge Cliff fan (meeting & having coffee
with him in a clothes shop her father used to manage - Cecil G's?, if anyone
knows of it?)

Growing up in Ruislip & Northwood Hills in the 70's and 80's gave us
(myself, brother and few friends) endless opportunities to visit most days
from one or other of the entrances (would like to say thanks to the previous
Lido dwellers for making several holes in the fences on the woods/sandy
side, which we used on more than one occasion to gain 'free' access to a
full day of fun).

As a teenager we lived a few minutes away in Standale Grove, so the longed
for summer holidays were spent in the Lido - usually swimming or sunbathing,
but on a few occasions, after making 'friends' with the lady running the
paddle boats, I would often help out on them - which made me feel very grown
up and responsible!! Luckily, no-one drowned on my 'watch'!!

My older brother was a bit of a rogue in his teens and would on occasion get
himself in trouble by 'running away from home' or the current 'Youth
Hostel'' he was put in because mum was at the end of her tether with him. He
'ran' to the lido one hot day, laying in the sun enjoying life (HAH), fag in
mouth (he was 14 at this time), when he opens his eyes to see mum and four
policemen towering over him ready to drag him back to the hostel he had
escaped from. Needless to say, his future visits to the Lido were spent with
him constantly looking over his shoulder.
.
My last year visiting the Lido before moving north with family (1983), was
spent with my cousin Julia & several young, fit, American Army service men -
that was an amazing few weeks that I am fortunate to remember today.

I have been back to Ruislip on a few occasions since, where the last one was
in 2004. I visited the Lido but only from the outside - it breaks my heart
to see how much it has changed but I suppose we all have to move on. Its
been wonderful looking through all the old pictures of Ruislip and the Lido
and remembering the 'good ol days'.

Does any know if 'Naked Norman' is still lurking in the woods????

Lisa

I've got to say, this is a awesome
page. I've been reading through it and never realised the Lido was such a
sweet memory for many other people, then just myself! And even more, it was
an even more thriving place back in the day, compared to how I remember it!

I was born in 1980, and used to remember my dad taking us to this far away
place (it seems far when you're a kid) as a 6/7 year old kid. I remember the
speed boats and ramps and today, thought I just imagined it all.
It was really fun playing in the sand with my sister, and eating an ice
lolly in the hot summer sun. I seriously loved it, but never knew it was so
close.

Now, I just moved in at Bury Street, and realised the Lido is literally on
my doorstep! I've discovered the path there through the woods and it comes
out right by the beach area – literally 5 mins away from my door step.

Today, the Lido is not like I imagine it, and definitely not like you all
describe it. I had no idea it has so much history. And it was in a couple of
Cliff Richard songs/movies – wow! Funny stories of this Naked Norman – I
never heard about him but I guess that was all before I really knew about
the Lido.

I wonder what happened to the Lido and all the jet skiing, swimming etc? I
know for a fact on hot days people still love to visit, and it's still fun
to go and see everyone there having a blast, and the beach looking full and
all the kids having so much fun under the water squirters on busy days.

It's not like I remember it, but because it once held so many fond memories
for me, even when I go back today – it still feels amazing. I just love the
thought that this is THAT place where I used to come and have SO much fun
when I was a kid.

Thanks for all your messages on this page – please keep them coming. If
anyone (from abroad etc) is interested in pic of the Lido today, I'd be
happy to go and take some for you. I believe there are also some vids on
YouTube if you want to have a quick look.

Billy

I used to live in Ferncroft
Avenue Eastcote until the early seventies and I recall my early visits
with my Mother and Sister Val - we used to catch the double decker bus
from Ruislip Station. We would queue at the turnstiles for what seemed
like ages, before enjoying a train ride, a paddle or a walk around the
reservoir.

In my teens I used to walk
through the woods with my mates to gain free entry through the back
fence. I was there when Donald Campbell and "Bluebird" gave a couple of
low speed demonstration runs to the thrill of the crowds.

In recent years I have
returned a couple of times to eat in The Waters Edge Carvery and walk
around the Lido again. The Carvery is good and so is the extended
railway and scenery. However I was somewhat annoyed to note that despite
the signs saying "No barbeques" some visitors appeared to think that
they were exempt. (possibly a language problem?)

I now live in Selsey, West
Sussex but I will always remember my Lido visits with affection!!

Bob

I lived in Manor Gardens in South
Ruislip after moving from Edmonton in N.E. London from 1959 to 1966 before
moving to Coffs Harbour in NSW Australia where I live to this day.

I remember the Lido very well and as a 12 year old
around 1963, I used to love going there on the 158 bus, it used to pull up
adjacent to a fish and chips shop diagonally across the road from Queensmead
secondary modern school grounds, which was my school also at that time. I
can`t remember the names of the roads any more.

I remember Cliff Richards and the
young ones back then and the filming of it, it was a terrific era to live
in, I loved going to the pictures & I think it was called the Odeon in
Ruislip (Astoria ROL) and the fish n chips. I loved fishing at the Lido and
often caught Roach, Rudd & Bream, sometimes in good numbers of them, I
always remember letting them go out of my keep net before coming home
because I don`t think they were very good as an eating fish.

I remember I cold evening in
November getting on the bus to come home, I saw another angler with a large
pike stuffed inside his duffle bag and half the fishes body was hanging out
over the top of the duffle bag, it was a big fish and I remember being
somewhat amazed and also a little bit envious, I asked him what he used for
bait and he said it was a live roach. I had a bit of a try after that for
Pike but never caught one.

I also liked swimming at the Lido
and going across on the motor boat, to where the train was. I used to ask my
Dad how deep the Lido was but he didn't know, I reckoned it must have been
pretty deep though.

I remember the Lido was pretty big
to walk around and there was a wooded area across the other side from the
entry area. I remember the water skiing there and I used to wish as a kid
that one day I could do the jumps like they did. I tried to learn to water
ski later in Life in the Cook Islands when I was on holidays there, but
didn't pursue it, I still like fishing though and Australia has some great
fishing.

I often wonder what happened to
all my old mates from Queensmead as I have never been back to the U.K. since
emigrating to Australia.

Michael Stokes

I can only remember going to the Lido
once in the early to mid-1950’s but it must have made a big impression. I loved
swimming and used to attend the Ealing Swimming Baths, and be taken to the
Uxbridge outdoor pool by my mother (mainly), but on the occasion of my visit to
Ruislip Lido we went as a family, including my Uncle. I think it is because my
Uncle was with us that I remember this one particular visit.

Having read others accounts I will now go and ask my parents (Mum 91 and Dad 93)
whether we did actually go more than once.

We left Ealing in 1958 to migrate to Australia (Adelaide) where we all still
live but I will now try and remember to visit the Lido on my next UK trip.

Caroline Wood (nee Senior)

We moved to Reservoir Road in 1943 and
lived in house 5 doors down from Lido entrance. My mother and father used to
sell there own ice creams and pop. They made their own ice lollies sold a 1d and
2d each, from a caravan in our front garden.

My brother David, sister Mary and my twin brother Edward and myself enjoyed many
happy years in the Lido. My wife Lucinda (Cindy) father used to work at the
paddle boats in the late 1950's. We have now moved to Spain and live in a
village called Riogordo. Brian Barrett.

My name as a child was Tina Kenealy, I lived in Coles
Crescent, in the 1960's would take the 158 to the lido, we would be there
for hours, didn't have a care in the world, as long as we were home for tea
,no I-Phones back then, remember the turnstiles & always being a line of
kids all waiting to push their way in, the speedboat on the water, it was
the only seaside we got to see some years ( even if it was manmade) it was
our seaside & we loved it, if we had money would ride the little train, it
was a different world back then.

I moved to Northwood Hills at the age of 16 from
Cricklewood. The next day I was allowed to take my 2 younger sisters, Jean and
Liz, aged 5 & 9 on the bus to the Lido. This was great-life in the
country! I decide that we could walk home through the woods. Much quicker ,and
cheaper! Imagine my terror when I was aware of prying eyes amongst the ferns
bordering the footpath. I picked Jean up, grabbed Liz's hand and ran!! When I
looked back briefly, there was a man, starkers, standing on the path!! We
escaped and later found out that it was harmless Naked Norman so we were never
in danger. However, a very scared moment.

Sometime during the 70s, The Goodies filmed
a at Ruislip Lido for one of their comedy episodes - I think it was called
'Scotland'. It was about the Loch Ness Monster. The details escape me now, but
Bill Oddie, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden were there with the dummy Nessie,
filming around the toilet block that was near to the first set of turnstiles as
you approached the Lido coming down Reservoir Road from the Bury Street end.

Chasing the monster through the building was only a brief part of the episode
when it finally aired, but it was fun to watch all the activity while they were
filming.

In the 70s I spent most of my childhood in
Ruislip Woods, making hidden camps and death slides (a length of rope from the
top of a tree to the bottom of another that you could hang a cloth or smaller
piece of rope over and slide down). My mum was once flashed by Naked Norman in
the woods. He had only an overcoat and a batman mask, despite his face being
covered she thought she knew who it was (I don't know how).

You were supposed to pay about 10p to go in the lido but I was so skinny I could
squeeze through the green turn style the wrong way. There was also a hole in the
fence near the swings you could sneak through. When I was a 15 or so I was in
the lido with some mates (only ones there...or so we thought) .I pulled a wooden
stake out of the ground which was going to be a fence, a policeman had been
watching from the other side of the lido with binoculars. He came speeding round
in his car (yes in the lido), sirens going. He almost knocked me down in the
car, he jumped out, truncheon ready, and went for me. He slammed me against his
car ,arrested me ,handcuffed me, bundled me into his car and took me back to the
crime scene....a hole in the ground.....happy days!

You mention in your memories of Ruislip
Lido that some people had drowned there. I just thought that I would let you
know that my uncle Eric Bertram Provins drowned at the Lido in 1933 when he was
21. He was driving a coal cart with a couple of friends and they decided to take
a dip at the end of the day to wash off the coal dust. He unfortunately got
cramp and drowned before anyone realised the danger. He is buried at Wealdstone
Cemetery.

I remember going to the Lido with my next door neighbours.
They were quite affluent and owned a car. We parked up near the water on the
north bank along with so many others. We were going to fish, but for the first
time in many years we were going to use the swimming area on that side. We had
been there so many times but always bathed on the beach side having walked
through the woods to get there.

Today was going to be a first! Travelling by car and picnicking on the banks of
the Lido. My next door neighbour and I were intent on making our way out to the
island on the swimming pool side. We waded out towards the platform, not
realising there was a step down. Up to our necks in water we made our way.
Neither could swim and when I stepped off the ledge I experienced the worst
moment in my life.

I'm now a really strong swimmer, but those few moments of absolute terror as I
swallowed the Lido's waters will stay with me forever. Fortunately another
bather, hauled me out, (no idea how many times I went under but well remember a
feeling of complete resignation of surrender.) I recall bring dragged out of the
water by my rescuer and being left with the lifeguard. Bless him, my
recollection is he didn't know what to do! I recall coughing up loads of stuff,
mainly water. Once I seemed ok he sent me off, with my neighbour's son to find
his parents.

Nothing was said. Totally traumatised and not sure how close I'd been to death.

We went back to fishing. What made it worse was when he cast his line the hook
snagged in the back of my head.

Guess which incident was reported to my parents?

Reminiscing about the past I came across Ruislip Lido
memories and thought I would add my some of my own. I worked there in the late
1970's during the holidays while I was a student.

I remember having an interview with the Manager, I think his name was Harry
Prescott and I heard nothing back from him. A week or so later I rang him and
cheekily asked: "When are you going to let me help you run the Lido" Amazingly
he said, start Monday and I did. That was about 1977 or 1978 the year that
someone drowned taking out a paddle boat late one night. The police spent a long
time looking before they found the body.

I started as a lifeguard, but also sometimes rented out the rowing boats. When
there was no sunshine or on quiet days, maintenance and cleaning was the
routine.

The other names I remember are Alan Swanson the Assistant Manager now passed on.
Super Terry Stockdale the Supervisor, also a fantastic character Peter Wright
and another chap called Graham Wardle and a man called Rod who would operate a
machine to clear weeds. I recall another young chap called Tony and there were
some girls working at the Lido and I seem to remember a Lisa but not the others,
but all were lovely and friendly.

I remember the plant room and I think chlorine would be pumped out to the
swimming area in front of the old buildings and across by pipe to the sandy
beach side. I remember hearing something along the lines of "Too much
chlorine and the fish will die, not enough and the swimmers might!! The main
swimming area was in front of the old white flat roofed buildings (now
demolished). I would row or swim out to a floating platform and watch the kids
swimming to make sure none got into trouble. Twice I remember doing my bit to
stop children from going under and diving in and bringing them to the shallower
part.

I can remember on the dull cooler days doing the fence repairs. In those days
there was an entrance fee and the locals did not like that and some were forever
cutting holes in the perimeter fence. I remember arriving early in the morning
and seeing an occasional deer and also on two occasions a snake. One day a big
17lb pike was caught by a fisherman and I recall thinking that I was glad they
didn't bite the swimmers.

I can remember driving Robert the Train, this had a Ford Cortina 1600cc engine.
Alan Swanson put a big log out of sight around a corner to see if I could stop
in time. I did and remember receiving a certificate for passing my train driving
test! I have that certificate somewhere and must try and find it. The year
before I was there, I heard a story about the train coming off the rails and
someone breaking an arm. This incident meant that all the drivers now had to
pass a safety test.

One day I remember a large lorry carrying sand and with the others we spread the
sand along the beach. In our breaks we would have our tea and lunch in the boat
house.

I must have been shy of girls in those days. One day I remember a gorgeous
looking mum in an orange bikini saying she had lost a ring. Looking back I'm
sure this was a come on, but I was too naive back then. Another time on a warm
sunny day I was in my shorts painting the swings and tipped a whole tin of red
paint over my shoulder and chest. One of the lovely girls working there helped
clean me up. I remember the mischievous, but lovely man Peter Wright,
encouraging the situation. The girl was keen but I was too shy and embarrassed.
I last saw Peter Wright working at the Case is Altered pub in Eastcote, but that
was a few years ago. I hope he is still alive.

Being in my twenties, I was into keeping fit and would do my pull ups in the
boat house from the roof beams. One day I challenged another lad to a race
around the lido, unfortunately he was faster than he looked and I came second. I
remember the water skiing with this cool big biceps skier called Battleday. He
made it look easy. I would cycle from my home in Vine Lane, Hillingdon and then
bought a Suzuki motorbike which I kept during the day in the boat house. They
were enjoyable times. The next season I was a supervisor at Uxbridge open air
pool.

My daughter is now 19 and my son 16 and I have fond memories of pushing them
round the lido in their pushchairs and playing on the sand and swings. The
railway is far more organised and far more sophisticated now but the magic
remains.

Later on in the early 1980's I joined Wrethams Estate Agents, which became
Prudential Property Services, which became Woolwich Property Services. In 1991 I
acquired my first branch in Ruislip High Street with friend Paul Gillespie and
we opened Gibbs Gillespie.

Gibbs Gillespie would now be Ruislip's oldest name in Estate Agency. Now with 12
branches it has been some journey.

If any of those lido workers are still around pop into one of my branches and
leave your number please. I'd love to hear from you and take a longer trip down
the Lido's memory lane. Thanks for reading.

James Gibbs

I remember mainly walking our dogs in the woods, there was
a strange man used to follow us around keep making bird sounds then hiding,
don't think it was Naked Norman as this one was dressed. Reading the section by
James Gibbs about the drowning wondering if it was my neighbours two brothers
who lived in Sussex Road, Harrow. thought they had both drown while taking a
boat out late at night during the 70s we really were not aware of the dangers We
were regular visitors during my childhood and still visit now.